1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for storing, organizing, indexing, retrieving, and displaying information, and in particular, to a method wherein an indicia can be stored in a pocket, bag or binder by use of a display appliance utilizing a plurality of releasable adhesive structures for removably securing to a surface.
2. Description of the Background
Methods of storing, retrieving, indexing, and displaying information are of increasing importance in the modern world. There is presently great emphasis on electronic, computer, and Internet methods of achieving these ends. However, there would also be great advantage to providing a method that does not require, yet can still be implemented with and enhanced by, these newer technologies.
Also, there are occasions in which the information desired to be displayed cannot be the product of an electronic, computer, or Internet process. Persons in remote or rugged sites, such as consulting schedules at the top of a skyscraper under construction, or classifying plant life in a rain forest, cannot easily carry electronic or computer devices, and cannot easily connect to the Internet to retrieve information. Some persons do not have the financial resources or training to purchase and operate such electronic equipment. Some persons, due to age or impairment, cannot conveniently operate electronic and computer devices. It is therefore desirable to provide an inexpensive and facile alternative, for the following applications:
(a) Professionals: It would be of great advantage to persons in fields such as law and medicine to have the benefit of information stored and displayed in this format without having to carry or consult electronic devices, which can be broken, and are a desirable target of thieves. It should also be noted that many courthouses and an increasing number of public buildings do not permit the carrying of portable computers or other devices that can interrupt proceedings or disguise a weapon.
(b) Workers: Like persons employed in knowledge or professional tasks, manual laborers also frequently must consult and mark a chart or checklist in the execution of their work. By way of example, an electrician or repairman must keep track of circuits that are live and those that are locked down and tagged out, to prevent accidental electrocution. Such a display containing that information can then adhere to the equipment or adjacent surface to be conveniently consulted by someone of another trade or another shift.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,496 to McEnroe discloses a sheet protector product having tabs for attachment to the liner of a construction hard hat. It is intended for the insertion of a single indicia containing information such as telephone numbers. While it does protect indicia and is of economical manufacture, it is not designed for the easy changing of indicia. Its system of notches and tabs to secure the sheet protector to the liner only works in the context of construction hard hats, and is intended solely for construction work sites. The disclosed product does not anticipate the provision of a series of integrated methods for storing, retrieving, indexing, and displaying information.
(c) Hobbyists: Hobbyists who go to trade shows or other meetings for the purpose of buying and selling their wares must also have information about the values of items, and maintain lists of items they wish to buy or sell, and have similar informational storage and display needs to those persons listed elsewhere. Furthermore, hobbyists often must display and protect the actual collectable items, in such a manner that the item itself bears the desired application information. Examples of this application include, but are not limited to: stamps, paper money, sports cards, game cards, postcards, autographs, and photographs. While there are prior art references demonstrating this demand and disclosing products to meet this demand, none feature releasable, reusable adhesive portions that can be revealed or concealed as desired, allowing viewing from either side of the see-through display.
(d) Homemakers: Persons doing work in the home have a great desire to efficiently gather, organize, save, and retrieve information such as recipes and articles. Furthermore, like some hobbyists the indicia intended to be displayed may have intrinsic value, such as a recipe handed down from earlier generations, and protection from wear or damage may be desired.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,491 to Stenger discloses an information reference book in the form of a loose-leaf binder housing information and an indexing system. Such a manual storage organizer can be one component of a system which stores indicia, holders, and displays for an application, and can serve as an indicia source, holder source, or display source. However, this information and indexing system does not satisfy the objectives of displaying and protecting information, and does not compel use of the system to display promotional of other thematic information.
(e) Students: Students at all levels-elementary, secondary, collegiate, graduate, and post-graduate-all require some level of rote memorization of educational material. Several formats are used for this purpose, such as workbooks and audio cassettes. One well known prior art method is the flash card, which presents a small learning objective on a relatively small piece of rigid paperboard. Related flash cards for a single purpose are packaged as a set. It would be very desirable and to great commercial advantage to provide indicia of the type presently presented as flash cards, in a format amenable to being sold as a tablet with a cardboard backing and top binding, or as a perforated sheet amenable to bulk mailing at low cost, or as a sheet marked for cutting printed from an online source such as a web site.
Interactive online media therefore become amenable to be incorporated in this manner as well. The results of a test may be translated by a human instructor or by a computer program into cards designed to enhance the learning of a particular student, by stressing weak areas of the subject matter, for example. Any of a large number of well known prior art methods of deciding how to customize the instruction of students may be implemented in this manner.
In light of the above, it is therefore highly desirable and commercially advantageous to provide a system to fulfill these diverse information storage and retrieval needs with a single product having ease of use and economical manufacture. In so doing, information providers can supply the product along with the information, on a subscription basis or otherwise. It is further desirable that the sponsor or provider of the system have opportunity to provide identity, public relations, promotional, or advertising information in proximity to the useful information provided. Ample precedent in the prior art establishes the desirability of this format. By way of example, if a number of paper indicia, such as a series of flash cards or other memory retention systems, are to be used in the present embodiment, they can be packaged and stored in a file or folder, and the top portion may contain index information that would not be needed when the indicia is being used.